RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

http://overseas.mofa.go.kr/com/popup/abview.do?seq=2714&site_itm=3&fbclid=IwAR37AOdKCF-j031xPkENxVPF8S6zWinLwgncwzqU37jTdpu6GkQMT2zUzds

Thanks for the link LI

Yeah, to anyone who's still skeptical, this is published, public knowledge now. You can find the information on pretty much any relevant website, and you can also phone your embassies for verification.

I wouldn't recommend leaving the country for vacation unless you've planned for it well in advance and already have that test scheduled/paid for.

It's really not an issue because the re-entry permit requirements will in all likelihood return to what they were at the same time the 14-day quarantine requirement is lifted. The latter really eliminates any overseas travel plans for me anyway.

Yeah, it never really affected me to begin with because I had no plans to leave the country this summer anyway, but I know it can and will cause major issues to a lot of other people in the meantime.

It isn't permanent, but it is what it is for now.

Nearly half of the Twitter accounts spreading messages on the social media platform about the coronavirus pandemic are likely bots

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/20/859814085/researchers-nearly-half-of-accounts-tweeting-about-coronavirus-are-likely-bots

Among the misinformation disseminated by bot accounts: tweeted conspiracy theories about hospitals being filled with mannequins or tweets that connected the spread of the coronavirus to 5G wireless towers

Ugh ... Russia is making fake news again... and people are believing it... 

Reuters reported in March that Russian media have recently deployed a widespread disinformation campaign against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus to create panic and distrust.

God, what a day. I'm ready for a bloody beer or two now, I tell thee  I guess the worst is over now at least now that the majority of surprises are over (famous last words?), but honestly wish Korea would get their sh*t together sometimes ... we've had months to prepare for the first day back and they leave it to the literal last minute(s).

- Spent 2+ hours installing these plastic shield things on about 100 desks in the English rooms this morning, on the first day of classes (Why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- Re-arranged the desks differently to what we had previously agreed upon, so I had to re-make my seating plans (why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- Eat lunch (good to have school lunches again, no complaints here. Also being socially-distanced means no more awkward conversations, win)
- Get told that we have to have the desks arranged another way, so re-arrange desks. Re-make seating plans (why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- 30 minutes before class starts, get told that we are no longer using the English classrooms but that the students are going to stay in their homeroom classes. Throw seating plans in the bin (why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- A bell rings at 1:40 when class is due to start at 2, so I double check with my co-teacher "Class starts at 2, right?" --> "Right." Head to the 화장실.
- Get back at 1:45 with a new piece of paper on my desk. Class starts at 1:50, sorry.
- Grab my stuff and head to the homeroom class and all the students are happily chatting away to each other in groups in the corridor. Great to see them again (sincerely).
- Homeroom class uses chalk and needs a laptop, which I don't have. FFS. Co-T runs in as the bell rings with her laptop which then has connection issues with the TV, classic.
- 5 minutes later when the TV is fixed, my PPT is open and my laser pen is installed we finally start up the class. By this point the students are understandably drowsy and bored.
- Start the lesson flustered as we're a little late and it's been a few months so I'm not at my best, but manage to get into the swing of it after a few minutes. Somehow managed to get through the class without anyone falling asleep.
- Bell rings and the kids all stand up and return to their groups and continue chatting. Ask my co-teacher why we even bother keeping them socially-distanced during class time, making it boring AF for us and the students, when the rules don't apply during breaks. She shrugs and says "just following the government guidelines". 

Always feel bad giving the ranting/venting thread patronage, but felt good to get this off my chest in writing haha. In hindsight I've had far worse days in Korea, but jeeeeez.

Edit: spelt 'eat' wrong  and a few other things.

Ask my co-teacher why we even bother keeping them socially-distanced during class time, making it boring AF for us and the students, when the rules don't apply during breaks. She shrugs and says 'just following the government guidelines'. 

Yeah, the 5 coteachers in my office and I have been eating lunch together IN A CIRCLE for the last 2 months. Sharing food (not in a spoon in the same bowl sense, we have two communal chopstick pairs for banchan distribution only and then our own separate pair for eating), making videos together.

Today at lunch all facing the same way in the cafeteria, masks off, well, because we're eating.

In the office though, today, my coteachers have their masks on while working. Like, if we were gonna give it to each other, we'd ALL have it by now, sans doute. Mask wearing is so haphazard and selective, makes no sense. 

Well, given the number of postponements already and the likelihood of 1 random kid in BF-dong getting corona and that setting off a panic, it kind of makes sense to hold off on certain things.

when the rules don't apply during breaks. She shrugs and says 'just following the government guidelines

Yup. But what do you expect? In this country you just do what the person above tells you to do, without questioning the logic.

So far today...

- Student removes mask, sneezes twice, puts mask back on. Looks bemused when I say the mask is to stop others being covered in her sneeze.

- Students wrestling and arm wrestling between classes

- Students spitting on the playground after eating lunch

Still, doing what the gov said and have some taped lines on the floor so it's all good.

Yeah, the 5 coteachers in my office and I have been eating lunch together IN A CIRCLE for the last 2 months. Sharing food (not in a spoon in the same bowl sense, we have two communal chopstick pairs for banchan distribution only and then our own separate pair for eating), making videos together.

Today at lunch all facing the same way in the cafeteria, masks off, well, because we're eating.

In the office though, today, my coteachers have their masks on while working. Like, if we were gonna give it to each other, we'd ALL have it by now, sans doute. Mask wearing is so haphazard and selective, makes no sense. 

Why do you do that? What about saying no thanks and eating by yourself? Or are you trying to fit in as you are at a new school?

Yeah, the 5 coteachers in my office and I have been eating lunch together IN A CIRCLE for the last 2 months. Sharing food (not in a spoon in the same bowl sense, we have two communal chopstick pairs for banchan distribution only and then our own separate pair for eating), making videos together.

Today at lunch all facing the same way in the cafeteria, masks off, well, because we're eating.

In the office though, today, my coteachers have their masks on while working. Like, if we were gonna give it to each other, we'd ALL have it by now, sans doute. Mask wearing is so haphazard and selective, makes no sense. 

yeah.. like, i got bollocked my the mart lady a while ago for not wearing a mask (i forgot), but so many people in there wear their masks just covering their mouth or chin. so, it's exactly the same as me NOT wearing a mask and keeping my mouth closed

If you're a foreigner and want to leave the country you have to apply in advance and pay a 30,000 fee. (Koreans don't.) To reenter the county one must have a hospital medical test done within the past 48 hours. (Doesn't apply to Koreans.)

God, what a day. I'm ready for a bloody beer or two now, I tell thee  I guess the worst is over now at least now that the majority of surprises are over (famous last words?), but honestly wish Korea would get their sh*t together sometimes ... we've had months to prepare for the first day back and they leave it to the literal last minute(s).

- Spent 2+ hours installing these plastic shield things on about 100 desks in the English rooms this morning, on the first day of classes (Why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- Re-arranged the desks differently to what we had previously agreed upon, so I had to re-make my seating plans (why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- Eat lunch (good to have school lunches again, no complaints here. Also being socially-distanced means no more awkward conversations, win)
- Get told that we have to have the desks arranged another way, so re-arrange desks. Re-make seating plans (why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- 30 minutes before class starts, get told that we are no longer using the English classrooms but that the students are going to stay in their homeroom classes. Throw seating plans in the bin (why today? Why not 2+ weeks ago?)
- A bell rings at 1:40 when class is due to start at 2, so I double check with my co-teacher "Class starts at 2, right?" --> "Right." Head to the 화장실.
- Get back at 1:45 with a new piece of paper on my desk. Class starts at 1:50, sorry.
- Grab my stuff and head to the homeroom class and all the students are happily chatting away to each other in groups in the corridor. Great to see them again (sincerely).
- Homeroom class uses chalk and needs a laptop, which I don't have. FFS. Co-T runs in as the bell rings with her laptop which then has connection issues with the TV, classic.
- 5 minutes later when the TV is fixed, my PPT is open and my laser pen is installed we finally start up the class. By this point the students are understandably drowsy and bored.
- Start the lesson flustered as we're a little late and it's been a few months so I'm not at my best, but manage to get into the swing of it after a few minutes. Somehow managed to get through the class without anyone falling asleep.
- Bell rings and the kids all stand up and return to their groups and continue chatting. Ask my co-teacher why we even bother keeping them socially-distanced during class time, making it boring AF for us and the students, when the rules don't apply during breaks. She shrugs and says "just following the government guidelines". 

Always feel bad giving the ranting/venting thread patronage, but felt good to get this off my chest in writing haha. In hindsight I've had far worse days in Korea, but jeeeeez.

Edit: spelt 'eat' wrong  and a few other things.

You really don't understand why not two+ weeks ago?  Really?

You really don't understand why not two+ weeks ago?  Really?

Really. Enlighten me.

Really. Enlighten me.

Um, because two weeks ago, this was supposed to be the second week of class ...? 

The situation is changing really fast.  Two weeks ago, things were different.

If you're a foreigner and want to leave the country you have to apply in advance and pay a 30,000 fee. (Koreans don't.) To reenter the county one must have a hospital medical test done within the past 48 hours. (Doesn't apply to Koreans.)

Yeah, as a preventative measure, it makes absolutely zero sense.

It's like they think Koreans are immune to covid-19 if they're coming from overseas. If that's the case, why worry about foreigners at all, lol?

Gawd.

Um, because two weeks ago, this was supposed to be the second week of class ...? 

The situation is changing really fast.  Two weeks ago, things were different.

The seating arrangements were changed twice on the morning of the first day of school.
The schedule for classes was changed twice on the first day of school.
The location for class was decided 30 minutes before the first class.

In what world is it fine to have so many changes when schools had had months to get these details planned and ironed out? A fast-changing situation is no excuse whatsoever to not have these bare basics planned for. So kindly GTFO with your sarcasm and arrogance.

So kindly GTFO with your sarcasm and arrogance.

my man is VENTING